Emile Gallé, Roses de France vase, 1901

You will now enter in the space dedicated to glassware. The showcases exhibit Emile Gallé’s creations. In this space, you also will discover a remarkable stained glass window by Jacques Gruber.

But before continuing, take a look at the Roses de France vase shown in this first showcase. It was designed by Emile Gallé in 1901.

Its unique décor shows the evolution of a rose: from the blooming of the buds to the loss of the petals. The type of rose chosen by the artist was not left to chance. It is the Rosa Gallica (the rose of France) that, according to tradition, can only grow in Metz. This legend must be put back in the context of the annexation to Germany. At the time, Metz was occupied, and for Gallé, to represent this rose is a way of reaffirming that the city belongs to France.

The mix of pink and green colours that enlivens the surface of the cup is obtained with two layers of glass overlapping. The embossed décor elements (such as the rose motifs) are applied while hot, according to the glass marquetry principle, developed by Gallé.

The rest of the décor was engraved. Notice the French inscription that is at the base of the leg. It means : “Horticulturist Society of Nancy, 1877-1901. To its loving Honorary President Léon Simon”. Indeed, this vase was offered in 1901 by the horticulture society of Nancy as a souvenir of his twenty-three years as the President of the society.